CMSTEP

Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program

Program Fees

1. Registration fee $750.00 (due at time of application and includes AMS and MACTE fees.)
2. Course Program and Materials fee $7,500.00 which includes:

• Tuition for all 9 CMSTEP courses
• Reasonable expenses for intern site visits and consultation (1 visit during the Practicum year, 1 extensive video consultation in Winter of Practicum year, and a final visit the Fall of the school year that follows the final summer of the training program.)
• Books and Materials (all books and supplies are provided by CMStep with the exception of any books assigned to be read before the summer course begins.)
• Room and Board for both Fall and Winter Retreats and the Erdkinder course.

Not included:

• Room and Board for the duration of the summer training (with the exception of the Erdkinder course, for which room and board are covered by CMStep.)
• Graduate credit from Xavier University

Program Cycle

CMSTEP is designed to meet the needs and busy schedules of full-time teachers. To complete the program in two summers, the summer 1 is four weeks of course work and a fifth week of field study/Erdkinder in June and July. This is followed by a year long practicum, with two mid-year seminars. The student works at a practicum site for a minimum six (6) hours a day, five (5) days a week for nine consecutive months (1080 Practicum hours required.) Students conduct a research project during the practicum year. Course work (Structure and Organization) and a final field study (Pedagogy of Place) are taken in the final summer. There are two visits in the practicum year and a final visit the following fall by Certificate Program staff. If necessary, the program may be spread over three summers, rather than two. However, any exception to the program cycle is at the discretion of the Program Director and must be determined prior to the commencement of the program. Practicum may not precede the first summer academic phase of the program.

Secondary I and II COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Summer 1 courses: Overview, Philosophy, Curriculum Development, Seminar, and Erdkinder
Practicum year: Practicum and Research
Summer 2 courses: Montessori Structure & Organization, and Pedagogy of Place

1. Overview of Montessori Education

• Jeff Groh
• 36 hours

This course encompasses the basic principles and practices throughout the scope and sequence of the elementary curriculum within Montessori classrooms for ages 6-12. These principles will include an introduction to the concepts of sensitive periods and developmental stages, as well as the three modes of learning, the three period lesson, concrete to abstract, isolation of difficulty, point of interest, classification, and nomenclature cards used for early research. Presentations in each content area of Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies will demonstrate how the spiraling curriculum builds upon itself, sequencing into greater detail and focus. Students will have opportunities for hands-on practice with Montessori didactic materials, and be expected to complete individual, paired, or group exercises in math and geometry, grammar, science classification, and timelines for history. Cooperative group presentations will culminate the course.

2. Montessori Philosophy (and Adolescent Development)

• Marta Donahoe
• 104 hours (includes retreat weekend hours)

Students in this course will read Montessori’s biography, and discuss current trends and issues in Montessori education, adolescent development, and philosophy specifically as they apply to the education of the adolescent. An overview of adolescent development will emphasize developmental characteristics in the physical, psychological, social and moral/spiritual realms. Students will explore the writings of Montessori and discuss adaptations of these theories in light of current research and best practices. Participants will also be able to participate in experiential exercises in community building.

3. Erdkinder

• Various Instructors
• 80 hours

This course is designed to bring the Erdkinder Essay to life by having teachers live for 5 days on a working farm. In the course of this experience they form a strong community through seminars on stewardship and sustainability, shared work projects and activities that illustrate the cycle of life and death. A packing list will be provided upon registration. This is a physically challenging course, however, the ability and tolerance of each participant is respected.

This is a physically challenging course. However, the ability and tolerance of each participant is respected.

4. Montessori Secondary Curriculum Development

• Barb Scholtz, Lisa Klus
• 75 hours

This course will provide teachers with an overview of the Montessori secondary structure and organization, curriculum development for the adolescent, and a model of the philosophy in action. Participants in this course will develop a sample Montessori plan of study that integrates standards, Montessori philosophy, and site learning.
In this course, the student will understand the basics in:

• creating a Montessori classroom environment with critical and creative thinking
• developing integrated curriculum with impressionistic lessons and culminating experiences
• guiding student-led conferences
• making self-evaluation forms for students
• collaborating on integrated field studies and service projects
• facilitating and debriefing group initiatives
• managing large blocks of instructional time, designing a daily schedule
• teaming with colleagues
• developing student leadership and community building
• culminating experiences/projects

5. Socratic Seminar

• Barb Scholtz, Lisa Klus
• 30 hours

The Paideia philosophy describes seminar as a mode of teaching that is essential for helping students develop true critical thinking abilities. Participants will learn to routinely utilize the seminar approach to understand “great works” of literature, art, music, historical documents, and other writings in all subject areas. Students practice the process of seminar in the Montessori Philosophy and Methods courses by reading a variety of challenging pieces. They will learn to select appropriate pieces to use in seminar discussions, to organize and orchestrate seminars for success, and to scaffold questions to engage the students as well as actually participate in seminar discussions. Critical and creative thinking will be emphasized.

6. Pedagogy of Place

• Brandt Smith, Andrew Ramsay
• 120 hours

Pedagogy of Place gives students a chance to experience real field studies within their own disciplines. During this class, teachers will learn to design their own Experiential Courses.
Pedagogy of Place courses that students may choose to participate in may include, but are not limited to:

• Ethnic Neighborhood Study

7. Montessori Structure & Organization

• Various Instructors
• 38 hours

In Structure & Organization participants spend each day of the week focused on one aspect of the structure and organization of a Montessori secondary school. Participants practice leading seminar and developing materials that they will use in their classrooms in the next school year.

8. Research/Independent Study – During Practicum Year

• Sally Lamping
• 45 hours

This course will focus on independent study in the form of a research project.

9. Practicum Experience/Internship

• Barb Scholtz, Marta Donahoe
• 1080* hours – Practicum teaching hours
  • Total program hours – 526
  • 48 hours/2 retreats (included in philosophy course)

Courses from summer 1 are pre-requisites. Participants in the practicum receive two site visits, one video consultation, supervision in coaching, and attend the two weekend practicum retreats.